Research Updated: August 10, 2000

Teamwork Comes Naturally in a People Process Culture by Charles Krueger

It surprises some people that a high performing People Process Culture organization may not have any formalized team structures. However, it is highly probable that almost all People Process Culture organizations will have teamwork. To me, teamwork is when the individual knows when and how to volunteer to help another person or group solve a problem or capitalize on an opportunity. The individual also understands when to volunteer and the consequences of themselves leaving their purview of responsibility to help the other person or group.

KRM Information Services (http://www.krm.com) is building a good People Process Culture. KRM Information Services is the Nation's leading provider of virtual seminars. KRM's customers use their own telecommunications capacity to receive and participate in these real time seminars. Many of these customers need their seminar materials delivered to their locations to participate in the virtual seminar they have registered for. At KRM, they understand that teamwork is essential to business survival. They have no real formalized team structure yet teamwork is everywhere. People know when and how to volunteer to meet company goals. And, people know how to ask for help. They believe that teamwork flows from their core values. One of KRM's functions includes shipping seminar materials to the seminar participants. The following true story is from the KRM Information Services' Orientation Manual.

On the cover of our manual that we ship to customers, we typically list the date and time of the seminar along with a list of the various time zones conversions the seminar will be delivered in. On one occasion we had a very large program, nearly 200 registrants. We got the time zone conversions backwards. We did not catch this error until all 200 plus envelopes had been stuffed and were waiting to be shipped to go out UPS. Fortunately we caught the mistake just before they were shipped. We quickly sent out an e-mail note alerting the necessary shipping group of the error. We then polled a few people within KRM to determine what the best method would be to correct the error. Someone (while on break) thought of the wonderful idea of creating a label with the correct information that could be placed over the incorrect information. Since our shipping department only had two people, a company wide e-mail went out asking for help. We needed to open all of the envelopes, affix the label and then re-seal the envelopes. We received over 10 replies to help. We quickly organized into three people printing labels at their desks and three assembly lines going in shipping to open, label and reseal the envelopes. In less than 15 minutes, everything had been taken care of. All of this was done with cheerful, positive attitudes of teamwork and cooperation. Never once did anyone say "Who made this error?" Or, "Why are we doing this?" There was a problem so everyone pitched in and fixed it. This is an example of how we are a team, we cooperate, we are positive and we don't point fingers. It was a mistake and we all make them.